BRIEFLY

Hutton and Dart expressed interest in Beatrice Cos.

The announcement that E. F. Hutton and Dart Group said they're interested in talking to Beatrice management came on the heels of revisions in the buy-out proposal made by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. In November, Beatrice rejected a bid from the Hutton-Dart group to accept a $6.2-billion leveraged buy-out from Kohlberg Kravis. The deal was clouded last Wednesday when Kohlberg Kravis lowered its bid for Chicago-based Beatrice.